New Haven Rep. Rosa DeLauro thoroughly enjoyed Superbowl XLIII, in part because of where she was watching it. On Sunday, DeLauro joined President Barack Obama at the White House to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers rout the Arizona Cardinals.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference in New Haven, DeLauro said the evening at the White House was “a delight.”

“The president and Michelle Obama were very gracious hosts,” she said.

With a menu of hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, chips and popcorn, DeLauro jokingly said there was only one thing missing: buffalo chicken wings.

She described the 50- to 60-person crowd as “very eclectic and bipartisan,” featuring both Democratic and Republic congressmen from around the country. But despite the camaraderie, at least where the game was concerned, the battle lines had been drawn.

Responding to a reporter’s questions at a press conference today on the president’s demeanor after the improbable game-winning catch by Santonio Holmes, DeLauro said Obama was calm and controlled. Rep. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania, on the other hand, “was wild,” she said.

“I was sitting behind Raúl Grijalva [D-Ariz.],” she added. “There were moments when he was like, ‘We’re going to do it, we’re going to do it.’ ”

But then Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner fumbled and the Cardinals lost.

“In the end,” she commented, “[Grijalva] was very gracious.”

DeLauro announced she had rooted for the Steelers, the pre-game favorite, but added: “I wish it were the Patriots, Giants or Jets playing.”

“Sometimes I am [for the underdog],” she said. “But in this case I wasn’t.”